Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-10
EARLY WASHINGTON.

4
EARLY WASHINGTON.
Major L,Enfant's Plan Of the Cavi-
tai City.
THE REPRODUCTION or rnR ORIGINAL nAr--pso-
VISIONS FOR WIDE STREETS AND AvRSrks, SHADY
PARKS STATE RESERVATIONS MONUMENT, STAT
Uks, xrC-orf AND NAP COMPARED.
That the general plan Of the city WAS the work
OF MAJ Peter Chas L'Rnfant, French oflcer,
who served in the war OF Independence, is well
known. The Interest in that or1cer, who died
early in the century, and was buried in an un-
marked grave near silver Spring, Will be revived
by the reproduction by the Coast survey once OF
the marginal map OF the city. This map shows
that Maj. L'Enfant had In mind at the time no
''city Of magnificent distances" but one which
would become from the growth OF neighborho0ds
compact collection Of public buildings resi-
dences for foreign ministers and residences tor
the people, the different squares to beimproved by
the States From an inspection Of the map and
tercsting TO citizens not only Of the District but
the country. 1t Is seen that the engineer had the
ides that the various states would become prop
erty holders, and improve certain squares reser
too,a showing that although the general plan has
tons have been omitted. one Of his ideas how
ever, has some prospect OF being carried out now,
seventy -nve yearsafter his death1that Of extend
ing An avenue beyond the city nmita
THE ORIGINAL NAP
For many years the old map has hung In the
ONCE OF the Commissioner OF Public Buildings and
grounds. The hand OF time during nearly q cen
fury had somewhat oDliterated the lines, and Col
Mllson recommendeo Us restoration TO secure lis
Taggart In charge OF the suit OF the United States
to quiet title to the Potomac mats also aided in
seG9ng us REPRODUCTION on account OF ITS histoft-
nugatiOn Ia the mats case. The work was done
uuuo. Wy HnineoiaSe cnasgo OF ME- 3. a. Coii0ne,
ASSISTANT S IN charge OF the Coast survey and with
tne exception OF that part Immediately north OF
tne PRESIDENTS House, which had been entirely
o6lltersted, IL an exact copy. This portion was
taken from an old map OF che Presidents square
Anu v0GuMehtS IN the possession OF H. h. Dodge, OF
or tSe sn9~ng Inc not - SUE
the form Of a semi.circie. w ~ ~
Aysruss Ann srRxrrs
Maj, LEnfant prescibed a width ar ian feat for
the avenues with 10 feet for navementa and 3o
feet for gravel walk planted with trees on each
sue. ana 81 rect carnage-way IN the center.
nne Sne wlotn OF those leaaing 10 tne
anu ING oIneIs aI llO ana 80 rect The map SHOWS
AnaieScan islan9 ana ALEXANDER Island each en-.
pS sS MS oy WAFER. FROM the mouth OF
nnsnt NI T we.0, ssIeeC exUen0s 70 the AIsnaI
Crn IN Iront OF ms Is 0reakwater extendng
S,reeS o nnu S,wuMu nz.args PONY wnere wafer
TO point above the Eastern BRANCH bridge At East
S"P'"'A e~ASes
~. NV hn InosI'
..olA VIZ u.ousu VI nooA Sreoh W aoouI fCn anu !"
%.,' Nv oS are Iepieseneea On tne map
- .A". p0. m'... aiu' eAoonuIns iounu VIC
sanrn. a.o1g ene snofs OF the eastern Branch
W.. Veg are tocaceo as nign up as tne Drdge on
@ down draw SS at the oor Of
MIA avenue, which was burned In the war OF 1872
II Is mater OF interest Just now, owing 10 the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad, that at the end
OF Pennsylvania avenue there Is parallel0gram
serMinaeng IN semi-circie, al which the bridge
the Eastern Branch states that from the 'mouth
1 Hns .vet 70 me Second oage the aepth Oh water
.s ttu1 % 10 iaanoins' Lne oeepeSt al0ng the
Snoro "nefo wharVos arc markeo. Inc oiu
WASHINGTON CITY CANAL
Is laid down from 18th street through street to
Sd street west, with two large basins where the
washington Market now stands; thence in
southeast direction, to South Capitol street. then
direction to New jersey avenue
terminates In a basin on the branch, and another
branch Is still partly In existence and now known
as James Creek Canal, terminating between Buzz
Yards Point and the Arsenal gruundA Major
LEnfant also provided at about 7th and 18th
streets east canals from the Eastern Branch to the
had an eye to the convenience OF the people, for
no less than "a bridges appear over the canals
q
NOUN 70 about street. and Is crossed oy three
o''oso0 n aoou. .uoli p'e0onI loca''ous-
coNohhss HOUSE
occupies the site OF the Capitoi, and the grounds
extend eastward taking In about fourth OF the
two snusres north ann soutn NJ Fast Canto
street hefween N and al streets east The pres
Sent,s House is in ahont its present incation =
large ureen soof answerfne the kWbfte fotS hein@
maste1 WPresidenfss Park' !" while the snuare he.
tween inn and 18TH and B and c streets known
Is the Van Ness Garden, is marked as the Presi-
6enf,s GARDEN AZ staten above the north aide nf
the president's grounds was circular and the re-
stortsi lines show that New YORK Pennsylyania
Vermont ana Connecticut avenues and I6th
straet were cut nv the circle -
qySar Creex ia renresented as antarno thu c,,v
,aar tno hoad ~ Eevr Iercav ovanma eond ~
note ~ ia stated nnat the nernendicnisr heiohI NJ
nc en,rce - Saa ,set sSnvs the fide a. &hs sroS
SsNnr nn,a Statas th"t n is ,ntSndaS tht ,nc
tha I rnnS W MomSa STANDS anf Ia a,or
, ars os ,ba cisv ssS nvsrn,m u ti ,.ii ,rns
Pm ne no no ss q, tHat sdsfca and IN ~
outs toat IN neicnt ana fftv IN hreaStn mo shn
reservoir below. thence to run in three falls
through the garden into the grand canal ION Sd
street The west branch OF the Iloer enters the
Gy az aoou n csn ot 800 tha tn,s h. n ~ nv
sSr ts tnTamds 1o IA cCnvavet ~ the ~ e
t uuUs 40 A"'0"ueN W w w ~ '''u9A'
h9 UaSev prorcn a ,r,nutarv NJ Rocr craop q.
y, W, anu noSe Syo,v tna ctsr tat ,
~, S,ns y.,hitc,a nronch whicS, ~ LIS tha
.nT S Sastos " INV """' "A 40 i0S0 su0n
niiAo uAS'o"" rur MAI,
THE AA-
large green spot represents the mall which has